CappuccinoandArtJournal

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Where Santa (& I) Go To Shop (Part Two)

Vintage, wood-blocked Christmas cards from Japan -- just another wonderful afternoon at Scrap!

I can think of some fun things to do with these...and it's fun to play with paint too...

Cookie tin with stamps on it?Perfect for my cookie delivery to my favorite clerks at the Post Office...I have a big bag filled with Holiday mail and packages going out this week and I am going to bake some cookies for the postal workers before I head out to the PO.

Notecards with stamp ephemera

Curated a few collections for friends....this one likes birds.

Cards at Scrap - the best place to buy em!

Some vintage papers to write on...

Inter-office envelopes are always fun for mailing.

Score!This was quite a fun find at Scarp....now I just have to actually try to carve some stamps.

Red RUSH labels -- these I need!

Brayers -- the more the merrier!

The rubber stamps are not usually great but I hit it one really good day and scored all these....

YEARBOOKSThis is all from SCRAP -- my favorite spot for shopping all year round. Some of my gift giving this year is from SCRAP. I curated a few collections for my pals.Scored a few treasures.Of course, being me, I also found quite a few things for myself. Ahem.You never know what you will find at places like Scrap. You've got to go with a sense of adventure and open mind and sometimes...well...you don't find anything.But I usually do.You sure won't find me at a mall shopping but you might find me at Scrap or a thrift shop...Gift giving from me -- handmade, curated and vintage treasures/ephemera.Don't get too jealous though -- this was from about three trips to Scrap not all from one. And sometimes Scrap is pretty bad -- like today -- when you get some idiot checker who wants to totally overcharge you for everything.There is nothing you can do since things are not marked with prices but I hate that people make up prices on a whim -- some folks there are totally realistic and others are definitely not.It is like those nuts holding garages sales who want to charge antique store prices.I have to carefully pick the days I go to avoid the over-chargers.

And where do you all like to shop? What do you like to make?What do you like to receive?

We are getting ready for a great big storm here in the Bay Area -- so if you don't hear anything fro me you'll know why....I have candles, wine, a gas stove and I've fully charged everything I can....so wish us luck here...

3 PM Storm Update: Everything on track for a significant winter storm to impact the Bay Area later this week. Rainfall amounts will be heavy, and will fall in short periods of time in bursts of heavy rain that will produce roadway and urban flooding, create flooding of small creeks and streams, and localized mudslides and rock falls. In addition to the rain and flooding - strong winds will accompany this storm. This will result in a considerable amount of power outages across the area as gusts to 80 MPH are possible on the ridges and up to 60 MPH on the coastline. As currently forecast, a storm this strong hasn't occurred in the Bay Area for several years. The time to prepare and be aware is now - Thursday will bring the worst conditions including significant commute impacts and travel difficulties due to high winds, heavy rain, roadway flooding, and downed trees. Stay tuned to the National Weather Service and on twitter @nwsbayarea

I love your scrap fines, Pamela. Many of my finds are from the auction.not everyone can see the beauty in old paper, so I often can get good bargains. You and I are lucky to really like our post office clerks. Some of my friends say they hate to go to the post office because the clerks are so surly. I feel sorry for them, the friends AND the clerks. Mail should always be fun.About the storm… Did you remember to tack down things in the yard?

CJ -- old paper....my favorite.....lucky for us everyone doesn't love it. I have big heavy cement and iron urns out in the backyard -- if they start blowing around I am getting out of town!That is too bad about the clerks at some post offices. I know folks here who "shop around" to find the nicest clerks. The ones at my PO are really great.

hi -- I don't know what Boston as but it sure seems like you should have a Scrap-type place there with all the schools and universities you have.try to Google "Center for Creative Re-Use" or check with the school system. Or google SCRAP SF and look at the website -- they may have links to other centers for creative re-use. Good luck!

I have two of those same tins! I just used them to give gifts to my visiting niece and nephew when we did Giftmas at Thanksgiving, but it was at my MIL's house, so I am sure the tins didn't go home with them and I will probably get them back at Christmas. :)

I like the inter-office envelopes...We usually get your storms, right now it is sunny, cold -a little, and blue skies here in Utah. I love that you can go to a store like Scrap. I don't think there is anything like it in Salt Lake. Je voudrais un petit neige avant Noel!Janet

Janet -- I don't think we will have a white Xmas but merci! It did snow once in SF many years ago and it was magical. This storm is supposed to have very high winds and I hope our power stays on -- and the trees in the backyard hold on. I think every big city should have a Scrap type place -- creative re-use is a very good thing.

Ah man!! What great finds. My favorite place to shop in Portland is Collage. They have such a great selection of ephemera and it isn't too overpriced. Nothing compares of Scrap's prices though! I need it to be January so I can spend some moneyyyyy.

Oh, those Japanese cards are so lovely. Great scores. Watch out. Rubber stamp carving = new addiction. (Have you tried the packing tape transfers yet?) We have just been through the third crazy day of winds and torrential rain. These are the kinds of storms when I find panels from my greenhouse in other people's yards. I hope you weathered everything okay. Yay for the rain though.

Adrienne --I think we are getting your storm down here in CA. Pouring rain all day and so dark....high winds last night but thankfully they seem to have stopped. Funny about the Japanese cards -- a local mail art pal saw them on the blog and emailed me to say her friend's parents donated the cards to Scrap. They had a warehouse and used to sell stationery. Small world....